11-year-old girl faces charges after Miami Beach middle school cafeteria attack: "This was a beat down"

An 11-year-old girl charged with second-degree felony aggravated battery appeared in a Miami courtroom following an attack at Nautilus Middle School that was captured on cellphone video.The incident, which took place Sept. 24 in the school's cafeteria, shows the victim being repeatedly struck. The victim's mother reported that her daughter suffered head injuries, including a scalp laceration.During the court hearing, a judge ordered the suspect to have no contact with the victim, including on social media platforms. The suspect's mother informed the court that she had removed her daughter from the school, citing a lack of administrative support. Because the suspect's family was determined to be "indigent" by her mother's testimony, a public defender was appointed to handle the case. Trial is scheduled for Dec. 21.Emotional scenes followed the hearing as the victim's mother broke down in tears outside the courtroom."This is a kid who is 11 years old. This is what upsets me," she said. "